Michelle's Restaurant

Someone from this business manages this listing.

800 reviews

#4 of 14 Restaurants in Polperro££ - £££, Seafood, British, Vegetarian Friendly

+44 1503 272459+ Add website

Hours

Sun

12:30 - 17:00

Thu

18:00 - 21:00

Fri

18:00 - 21:00

Sat

18:00 - 21:00

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Ratings and reviews

5.0

800 reviews

#4 of 14 Restaurants in Polperro

Travellers' Choice 2023

RATINGS

Food

Service

Value

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CUISINES

Seafood, British

Special Diets

Vegetarian Friendly, Vegan Options, Gluten Free Options

Meals

Dinner

features

Location and contact

Little Green, Polperro PL13 2RF England

+44 1503 272459

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Details

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About

We are a family run restaurant, taste of the west gold award fish restaurant, specialising in crab & lobster and fish caught locally. Our opening hours are thursday, friday & saturday from 6.00, also open Sunday from 12.30 for our roast dinner served with roast potatoes, seasonal vegetables, homemade Yorkshire pudding & a choice of 3 meats. Booking advisable.

CUISINES

Seafood, British

Special Diets

Vegetarian Friendly, Vegan Options, Gluten Free Options

Meals

Dinner

FEATURES

Reservations, Seating, Highchairs Available, Wheelchair Accessible, Serves Alcohol, Full Bar, Wine and Beer, Accepts Mastercard, Accepts Visa, Accepts Credit Cards, Table Service

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5.0

800 reviews

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694

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Andrea F

Chatham5 contributions

Outstanding Sunday Roast!

Jul 2020 • family

Four of us booked an evening meal and a Sunday roast as we came out of lockdown in July 2020 as part of a 10 day trip with our daughter and her partner. The food is amazing, the portions generous and service is warm and friendly.... a perfect combination. Our evening meal of Fish, Pork Belly x2 and Beef Fillet and Chicken in mushroom and pepper sauce filled us with confidence about the much regaled roast dinners. The restaurant is small and down a side road but what a hidden gem. It is a dog friendly restaurant which took us a little by surprise but when 2 large greyhounds struggled to settle the owner took them back to the hotel to avoid any interruption to the other diners. A real family affair with mum and Michelle in the kitchen and her sister front of house. We loved the food and we loved the family! And oh my, the roasts were to die for, we had chicken, lamb beef and vegetarian wellington.... and agreed conclusively that our high expectations were not only met but exceeded! A massive 5* star experience and we are booking again on our next stay in Polperro in October 2020.

Written 30 July 2020

This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Secret shopper

Cambridge1 contribution

Michelles saved our Date night

Jul 2020 • none

My wife, 3 boys and I are on Holiday for 2 weeks staying in the picture perfect Village of Polperro, we arrived on the 18th and luckily for us most restaurants and bars are open or have re-opened that weekend since being closed due to Covid. Last night My wife and I decided to try and have our first Date night in over 5 months due to the Covid situation, we made sure all our three boys were fed and watered and were happily watching movies or playing Fortnite with their friends online. The eldest was given his instructions on what they can have as far as the chocolate and crisps were concerned and that we would only be a couple of hours and literally 2 mins away as the village is so small. Wednesday in Polperro is a popular day for restaurants and bars to close, we didn’t know that when we went out so our choice of restaurants wasn’t a great as we hoped, we decided to knock on the door of Michelle’s, a very popular restaurant that we already knew was fully booked, (for the next two weeks!!! by the way) We had already eaten the most amazing roast dinner there that previous Sunday, so our faces were not to unfamiliar, and when Michelle heard that it was just the two of us and not the whole family of 5 she immediately leapt to our rescue and offered us a table for two Outside, it was a lovely warm evening so this was just perfect. My wife had Scallops with Chorizo to Start with and I had Crab and Tiger Prawn Cocktail, it was out of this world, the scallops were cooked perfectly and the crab and Prawns tasted so fresh we just knew we were in food heaven. For the main course, my wife and I couldn’t decided what fish to have so we both went for the Trio of Fish with Prawns and Dauphinois Potatoes, Sea bass, Lemon soul and John Dory topped with beautifully fresh prawns. WOW WOW WOW sorry but that’s how we felt we finished this amazing meal with a dessert that we actually didn’t have room for but had to have as its delicious, Banoffee Trifle and homemade Blueberry Ice cream Again, what a triumph !! :-) Michelle’s is a restaurant doesn’t need my recommendation as the fact they are always booked proves that, I however had to give this review as they really made our first Date night such an amazing time. oh by the way they also have some great wine and fizz to choose from. Thank you Michelle’s, we will try and get a couple more sneaky tables for two before we go and we look forward to this Sunday family feast xxx

Written 23 July 2020

Jim T

London60 contributions

Wonderful place beautiful town

Jul 2020 • couples

What a lovely place and for all the right reasons. Reopened under social distancing guidelines but a very warm staff and wonderful food. The crab soup was top notch and the scallops were equally sublime - and servings of house wine were on the generous side. But what really made it for me was three young people staying nearby who realised they had no Parmesan for their pasta. They very politely asked whether they could buy some as the shops were shut and the owner gave them some. They then came back and bought some cider as a thank you. Experiences like that don’t really happen in big towns and made me love the restaurant and the town more. Why can’t I give them six stars??

Written 19 July 2020

Alex Chadwick

London10 contributions

Literally the best meal of my life

Aug 2020 • none

Let me tell y'all about Michelle's. You walk in, and it's one of those places that's kind of unassuming, quiet and understated; the people who walk in have no idea what utter taste bud chaos perfection is about to happen to them. As you're seated by a lovely friendly waitress, your nose starts to tell you what's up. Something good is up. Ordered our food. Let me tell y'all about this starter. Oh. My. God. Baked Camembert. This absolutely destroyed us. If you could imagine the best meal you've ever had in your life, this starter would make that meal look and taste like absolute dog muck. The mix of the perfectly baked cheese with that relish, holy COW. Just incredible. The mains were absolutely astounding, you can tell fish is their speciality, these ladies know how to COOK. Special MVP mention to the dauphinoise potatoes, absolute perfection. This is the one and ONLY time I will ever in my life be too satisfied, too full, too post-orgasmic to ever not order a dessert. You guys can already tell I do not skip dessert. That's how taken over I was by this insane food-coma. Absolutely astounding meal, 100% recommend. Michelle, I love you. <3

Written 10 August 2020

Sophie H

14 contributions

Absolutely stunning food, drink and service!

Sept 2020 • family

Wow, just wow. This meal was definitely the best I've ever had! Our pre-starter of homemade bread, flavoured butter, olives, balsamic vinegar and olive oil was spot on. Then followed by a stunning crab soup for me, perfectly cooked scallops and pancetta for Mum and a large lobster and prawn salad for Dad. The mains also lived up to expectations (see photos) with a Trio of freshly caught fish for me (sea bass, lemon sole, haddock) served in a lobster and prawn bisque with dauphinoise potatoes and fresh veg; a yummy roast lamb with the same amazing potatoes and plenty of veg for Dad, and sea food chowder for Mum which was "magnormous"! The service and ambiance was fantastic and we've already prebooked again for October!

Written 12 September 2020

Betty L

52 contributions

sunday lunch

Jun 2021 • none

Recently paid a visit to Michelles, booked a table in advance as I was travelling with the family and wanted to treat them The restaurant was very pleasant and was serving sunday lunch with a choice of large, or small and a selection of meats. I have nothing bad to say about the quality of the food it was very tasty and plenty to eat but the only down side about it was that that everything was piled onto one plate and only the roast potatoes came separate. Now I had ordered beef and I could not even see my meat because of the amount of Vegetables on my plate. The |Yorkshires were good but the veg would have been appreciated more had they arrived in tureens for you to help yourself. There was so much veg that we had to ask for a spare plate as a lot of the veg some of the party did not want and was wasted. I for one did not want red cabbage with my beef nor did I want stuffing. The veg being served in separate dishes would have been all it took to make the lunch more enjoyable and there would obviously not have been as much waste when you can pick what you want.. Apart from that we were made welcome and the food was well cooked

Written 21 June 2021

Anna

30 contributions

Outstanding

Jun 2021 • couples

We had an amazing meal last night at Michelles with friendly first class service. We were told that the table was ours for the evening and that we may have a little wait as my partner ordered the lamb and its cooked from scratch. This was music to our ears as we had eaten in some other places and felt rushed. We sat back and enjoyed our Malbec and the wait was worth it. The food was just stunning the best we have had since being in Polperro. Go to Michelles for a tasty dinner that wows! Advise you to book well in adance as this restaurant is very very popular.

Written 2 November 2021

ScottandBeckie

Bristol244 contributions

Best Sunday lunch EVER

Oct 2020 • family

Managed to get a table for Sunday lunch - had heard lots of great reviews but have to say we were blown away. The portions are HUGE so make sure you’re hungry. The quality was fantastic and for the first time ever I could honestly say I had no need for the roast potatoes which came in a separate dish - thought I’d never hear myself say that! I had the lamb which was fantastic, very large and hidden under a mountain of vegetables, all of which were bloody lovely. I can honestly say it was by far the best Sunday lunch we’ve ever had at a restaurant AND cheaper than most places we’d normally try back home in Bristol. All the staff were attentive and lovely. Thanks.

Written 26 October 2020

Mandi C

Bristol47 contributions

Sunday roast dinner

Oct 2020 • couples

A bit underwhelming after all the hype! The pros? Location, ambience, service, wine, food was hot The cons? So much food on a small plate was way too overwhelming for me. The beef was over done, not of great quality (fatty and a bit scrappy) and hidden under the mound of mushy veg. It should have been the star of the show! The best bits? The extra gravy on the side, the home made horseradish, the roasties (which were served separately so remained crispy) and the Yorkshire pud! The worst bits? Everything was a bit mushy and overdone and just piled on. .. Parsnips, sweet potato, cauliflower cheese, carrots broccoli and greens - just too much going on and then covered in gravy. Very difficult to navigate your way through it! Did my best with it but wouldn't go back on a Sunday I'm afraid. Will however try the seafood menu which is served the rest of the week as I believe this is the restaurant's main focus and it sounds amazing! This is my humble opinion and I know other reviewers rave about the Sunday roast so try it for yourself!

Written 26 October 2020

Pippy_P

1 contribution

Unpleasant atmosphere and our food not good I’m afraid

Aug 2021 • family

As a family we have been coming to Polperro for over 12 years and we know the area well. We visited Michelle’s for the first time for an evening meal with our older children because of the positive reviews. Sadly, first impressions weren’t good as we were met with a frosty attitude from front of house staff. When we were at our table, the kitchen was visible because it’s open plan into the restaurant. The staff are silent when working with fed up faces and it just felt uncomfortable throughout the meal. Our main dishes took forever to arrive which was a surprise because they only had a few customers at the time. Our mains included one Lemon Sole and monkfish, both of which were NOT fresh. This is simply not good enough for a ‘beside the sea’ restaurant. In addition to this, the chips were tasteless and had a dry/stale texture. We didn’t dare say anything because we felt there was an over hanging moody tension and we could tell it wouldn’t go down well and spoil our evening. It was an expensive meal and sadly we won’t be returning! There are a couple of lovely little restaurants in Polperro that are head and shoulders above…

Written 26 August 2021

Ged G

7 contributions

Just lovely 😊

Jul 2021 • family

We visited Michelle's on Sunday for the highly recommended Sunday roast, and we were not disappointed, it was lovely. My wife went for the beef, my son for the chicken, and I went for all the meats, and it was gorgeous. There was loads, you had to roll me out of there. We also visited midweek for my birthday, and Michelle and the team had decorated the table and left me a birthday card, a lovely touch. We had olives, breads and dips to nibble on waiting for our starters, for which my wife, son and I had scallops in herbs and garlic, garlic bread, and crab croquettes with siracha mayo respectively, all devoured with joy. For mains we had sea bass, kids portion for my son and adult portion with dauphinoise potatoes for my wife, and I had scallops with chorizo and roasted new potatoes. Again, just gorgeous and all munched. Desserts were ice cream for my son, Eton mess for my wife and sticky toffee pudding for me, after which we were all very happily full. Credit to Michelle for a lovely, friendly ambience, and also to Naomi who served us on Sunday and Lisa who served us midweek, they were great. Looking forward to visiting again someday 😊

Written 30 July 2021

Mandy B

Derbyshire58 contributions

Loved it!

Aug 2020 • couples

Visited here on our first day of our holiday. We loved it! We had mackerel pate and crab & prawn cocktail both with homemade bread. For mains we had trio of fish with dauphinois potatoes and haddock florentine with chips - all delicious. Service was brilliant and the lady at the front of the house was so lovely and friendly and even recommended a kumquat gin to dry - delicious! Thanks to all :)

Written 15 August 2020

MsNTL

73 contributions

We visited for Sunday lunch

Aug 2020 • none

We visited for Sunday lunch this last weekend on the 23rd to celebrate my boyfriends birthday. Absolutely amazing service from start to finish. The customer service is beyond 5 stars, friendly, helpful and informative, what an amazing team at Michelle’s! We both opted for the pork, they were great accommodating my fussy vegetable needs! The Yorkshire puds need to be seen to be believed (wish mine came out even half as big!!). Great selection of drinks, nice to see proper Cornish options on the menu. We had just a little bit of room left, so shared the ice cream and espresso (great coffee too!!). They even came out with a birthday card for my boyfriend! Cannot recommend Michelle’s highly enough (if you can manage to get booked in, understandably over-subscribed!). Thank you Michelle’s for such an enjoyable meal.

Written 28 August 2020

Linda

Greater London7 contributions

Fabulous evening at Michelle’s

Sept 2021 • none

We were on the reserve list for a table after an unsuccessful attempt to book in advance of our trip and had a call from Michelle on the Thursday afternoon which we jumped at for 7.15pm that evening The atmosphere in the bistro is delightful and the food outstanding with lots of choice especially of fish dishes. We both chose the scallops starter then I had sea bass, beautifully cooked and my partner had the duo of sea bass and monkfish, all delicious. Good wine served with it at a sensible price. A wonderful evening to finish our short stay in Polperro.

Written 12 September 2021

Spaghetti007

Wales124 contributions

Standing ovation to Michelle and team.

Aug 2021 • solo

We were extremely fortunate to have a cancellation; this little gem of a restaurant is small and can get booked up quickly, so try and organise in advance. I have eaten many amazing restaurant meals, including Michelin star venues and for sure Michelle’s cuisine is right up there with the best. Michelle’s team ensured that every guest was treated exceptionally. The menu had a broad variety of seafood dishes, with fresh seafood landed by Michelle’s own husband. It is also suitable for diners who do not eat fish. We had superb olives (chillies and bread included) and the freshest of garlic scallops (complete with roe), salad and a wedge of the freshest bread. I had to close my eyes to savour the delicious, delicate flavour and texture of the fresh scallops. For mains, we had the lamb and surf and turf. The lamb was cooked to perfection and served with delicious rosemary baby potatoes The filet steak melted in the mouth and accompanying lobster was just perfect. Tenderstem broccoli and baby tomatoes completed the meal which came with potato choice of the most incredible dauphinois potatoes. For dessert, we had the most amazing blueberry and chocolate bread and butter pudding. The portion sizes were perfect for a hungry appetite; we were completely satiated and left with flavours dancing on our palettes. We would definitely return here for this outstanding food and experience provided by Michelle and her team. Thank you for such a wonderful evening.